HYDERABAD: The state government is preparing to launch a forensic audit of the alleged irregularities associated with the Dharani portal, an integrated land revenue management system that was implemented by the previous BRS regime.
The audit will begin as a pilot project focused on the districts surrounding Hyderabad, with Rangareddy and Hyderabad districts as top priorities. Other districts will come under scrutiny in subsequent phases.
According to senior officials in the Revenue department, the state government has entered into an MoU with the Kerala Security Audit and Assurance Centre (KSAAC) to carry out the investigation.
KSAAC, a government-backed institution housed within the Digital University Kerala campus, specialises in digital security, forensic auditing, IT infrastructure assessments, and secure code reviews. Its portfolio includes extensive work with both public and private sector entities across India.
The audit, which is expected to commence soon pending formal government clearance, aims to uncover the extent of fraudulent or unauthorised land transactions allegedly facilitated through the Dharani portal.
The KSAAC would be investigating the alleged transactions originated from unauthorised locations or at suspicious hours, suggesting potential manipulation of the portal’s backend infrastructure.
Essentially, the forensic audit would also attempt to find out whether the private operators who facilitated Dharani portal had access to update the land records.
KSAAC will examine historical land records, particularly those prior to 2014, to establish the nature and ownership of contested properties.
Authorities suspect widespread irregularities in the conversion and alienation of valuable lands — including endowment, Bhoodan, assigned, forest, waqf, water body, inam, and other government-owned properties — after the Dharani portal came into effect.
The audit seeks to map out fraudulent conversions of restricted land into ‘patta’ lands, trace data tampering and ownership manipulation, and assess potential financial misappropriations. Investigators will also evaluate links to pending litigation, identify beneficiaries, and explore possible political or administrative complicity.
Significantly, sources said, the audit will be conducted independently of the officials currently or previously involved in land administration, a move intended to preserve impartiality.
This exclusion hints at concerns about internal collusion or oversight failures within the revenue machinery under the previous regime.
